Say Goodbye
by SuperGroverAway
Summary: Mabel Pines bids a painful final farewell.


The grey skies above suitably matched the mood of the small group below. The assembled gathered tightly together while they paid their final respects to a life taken too early and too suddenly.

Everyone's attention was now focused on the young girl struggling to hold back yet another wave of tears as she mournfully spoke her piece.

"...And…..and…." She took another deep breath. Her tightly clasped hands quivered uncontrollably while she spoke. "So it's with….a-a...a h-heavy heart….that I….I-I…."

Mabel was doing her utmost to make sure that this last goodbye counted. It was all she had left. But of course it was hard going. She hadn't even gotten over her shock yet. Unfortunately, there was absolutely no denying the tragically small casket lying before them, waiting to go down into the earth.

He was gone. He was actually gone.

"...And s-so I….I-I…." The words kept catching in her throat.

Suddenly it was just too much. Her mangled spirit completely buckled. A harsh sob erupted, and in a flash she had fallen completely to pieces. Twin rivulets now started to gush from red puffy eyes. It was only after mustering together every ounce of strength left that she could properly finish.

"...G-goodbye, Dipper."

Each syllable was agony beyond comparison. Strong sobs now wracked her body, sending her shaking uncontrollably from head to toe. Overwhelmed with fresh grief, she turned and buried her head deep in the nearest shoulder. As the tears continued to flood unchecked down her rosy cheeks, a skinny arm draped around her shoulder. With a piteous whimper she turned and buried herself in the refuge of a comforting hug.

"H-he's gone!" She bawled. "D-Dipper's gone! I...I-I just…."

"Shhh, I know." Dipper murmured, clasping her close. "It's okay, Mabel."

"It was t-too soon!" His heartbroken twin cried. "It was just too soon, Dipper! I-I only got Dipper two days ago, a-and…"

"I know, I know. It's okay." Her twin pat her quivering back as he wracked his brain like mad for something good to say. "But….at least he's in a better place now."

"Y-yeah…" She wiped red rimmed eyes on the mourning-black sweater, specially knitted for the occasion of course. Thankfully she was able to take some comfort in his words. "A place where...where he can have all the flaky food he can eat...and never have a dirty bowl, ever."

"There we go." Dipper mustered a comforting smile, which she returned with a weak but grateful grin. The dutiful brother maintained the much-needed hug until she was ready to let go, which was almost a full minute. Once freed, he promptly fished a tissue from his pocket which she used to blow her nose with a trumpeting honk.

"I miss him so much." She whimpered. Wendy wordlessly leaned in for a pat on the shoulder.

"Okay, c'mon." Stan was in rare form. The soft spot he held for his great-niece was on full display for all to see, with no effort on his part to hide it. He cracked a craggy smile as he lead her back towards the Shack. "Look, how about you go clean up, then we'll all head over to the diner like I promised. Sound good?"

"You mean it?" Like magic, she started to brighten up. As her eyes regained their familiar sparkle she gathered up Waddles, who was appropriately decked in a handmade black veil.

"Yeah sure. You can even take your pig too, and you order whatever-"

"All you can eat pancakes!" She quickly made up her mind. The old man's face twisted with apprehension.

"Er...let's not get crazy here." He protectively pat his wallet.

"Alllll you can eat pancakes!" She whooped again, her spirit fast bouncing back.

"Maybe we'll just get one order, and we'll see how you're feeling…"

Dipper and Wendy lingered behind for a little to watch their chubby friend got to work on the actual burial.

"You need any help?" The preteen offered. Soos nodded appreciatively.

"Thanks, but I got it, I got it. Stan has me bury so much stuff out here it's like totally second nature." He needed a moment to notice the odd looks they were shooting him. "Not like, dead stuff or anything like that. Just stuff he doesn't want to haul to the dump."

It was then with the greatest reverence that he lay the tiny box into the little square hole the he had meticulously cut out of the earth. "Rest in peace, little dude."

Boy and teen now headed back towards the Shack to rendezvous with the others. Having just returned from a two-day campout with her dad and brothers, Wendy found the whole affair to be quite the interesting way to kick off her week. As they plodded along, Wendy finally broke the respectful silence she had been holding all morning since she arrived. She simply had to know.

"Hey, Dipper?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't want to ask while Mabel was there, but….why'd she name the goldfish after you?"

Dipper made the mistake of hesitating. She automatically let out a snicker. This was definitely going to be good.

"C'mon, man. Fess up." She urged with a playful push. The boy rubbed the back of the neck. His friend was going to work it out of him whether he liked it or not, so better now than later.

"She, um….she said that his big eyes made him look paranoid..."


End file.
